As January comes to an end, it's time to look back at what Micro Rainbow achieved in 2025!
Over the past year, we
🩵supported 819 LGBTQI people fleeing persecution through intensive, one‑to‑one casework
💜opened 5 new safehouses for LGBTQI people seeking asylum (bringing our total to 30 across the UK!)
🧡delivered 125 social inclusion events for LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees, creating spaces for community and connection
💚ran 20 moving on and employability workshops to help newly granted refugees build confidence and take their next steps towards independence
There is much more behind these figures. You can find the full breakdown of our 2025 impact through the link in our bio. If you believe in this work and want to help us continue supporting LGBTQI people seeking safety, please consider becoming an ally in 2026 🙏
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced back home, they are welcomed and valued here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work through the link in our bio!
#refugees #LGBTQI #Trans #Queer #RefugeesWelcome #Charity #Impact #Homelessness #ChangingLGBTQILives
Why you should show solidarity with people seeking asylum
Our patron, human rights activist and co-founder of UK Black Pride Lady Phyll talks about why standing up against xenophobia and hate is so important right now.
#asylum #humanrights #refugeeswelcome
Step inside our new safehouse for LGBTQI asylum seekers 🏠🌈
Every year, LGBTQI people flee their home countries to escape persecution, violence and imprisonment to seek safety in the UK.
Many arrive with no support network and are placed in accommodation where they often experience discrimination and abuse. Some are forced to hide their identity and live in fear, while others become homeless, having to leave their unsafe accommodation.
Since 2017, Micro Rainbow has provided safehouses for LGBTQI asylum seekers to help break the cycle of poverty and homelessness and allow them to rebuild their lives openly and safely. We have provided over 37 000 bed nights a year in dignified, family-size homes like this one.
But like the rest of the UK, we're struggling to keep up with the cost of living crisis, with energy, council tax and utility bills spiralling.
💜 Click the link in our bio to become a Micro Rainbow ally and help keep LGBTQI asylum seekers safe and secure.
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
#refugees #LGBT #LGBTQI #LGBTQIRefugeesWelcome #LGBTRefugeesWelcome #ChangingLGBTiLives #NonBinary #Enby #Queer #Gay #Lesbian #RefugeesTogether #ChangingLGBTQiLives #Homeslessness #AsylumSeekers
“Homosexuality is a disease.”
This was the World Health Organisation’s official position until 17 May 1990. Each year on this date, we mark #IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. It is a moment to reflect on progress and recognise that many LGBTQI people still face persecution and exclusion today.
At Micro Rainbow, we see how life‑changing a safe home can be.
We’re looking for 17 people to become monthly donors by 17 May and help us furnish a new safe house for LGBTQI people seeking safety in the UK🏳️🌈
💜 Join our community of Micro Rainbow allies by clicking the link in our bio!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Gay #RefugeesTogether #Asylum #ChangingLGBTQILives #IDAHOBIT2026 #IDAHOBIT
We’re happy to share that Khaled, a gay man from Syria who has been living in our safehouse in the West Midlands, has been granted refugee status in the UK!
In Syria, same sex sexual activity is criminalised, and LGBTQI people face extreme danger due to discrimination, violence and the ongoing conflict. Armed groups and militias have targeted LGBTQI people, and there are no legal protections. Many are forced to live in complete secrecy simply to survive.
For Khaled, this meant living in constant fear of being exposed or harmed for who he is.
Since arriving in the UK, Khaled has been staying in a Micro Rainbow safehouse in the West Midlands, where he has found safety, freedom and community. Now, with his refugee status secured and support from our Moving On team, he is beginning to rebuild his life with dignity.
💜 Help more LGBTQI people like Khaled find safety by becoming a Micro Rainbow ally - link in bio!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms and stock images are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Gay #RefugeesTogether #Asylum #ChangingLGBTQILives
Are you the next host for our donation machine?
Support LGBTQI refugees and people seeking asylum by hosting our donation machine at your London-based organisation or event💜 Email [email protected] if interested!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #SafeHousing #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Trans #RefugeesTogether #ChangingLGBTQILives
Most LGBTQI refugees and people seeking asylum in our community want to work, but many face significant barriers, from the lasting impact of persecution to low confidence, discrimination and unfamiliar employment systems.
Our Moving On programme responds to these challenges with practical, one‑to‑one employability support, helping people rebuild confidence and feel ready to move forward into work and stability.
💚 Are you an LGBTQI refugee looking for employability support or an organisation interested in partnering with Micro Rainbow? Email [email protected] to find out more!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Gay #RefugeesTogether #Asylum #ChangingLGBTQILives #EmployabilitySupport
We have welcomed Zeynep, a trans woman from Turkey seeking asylum, to Micro Rainbow safe housing!
In Turkey, trans people face widespread discrimination and hostility. Trans women are frequently targeted under public morality and public order laws. This often results in police harassment, arbitrary detention, fines and violence.
Trans women in Turkey face barriers to housing, employment and healthcare, and a risk of physical and verbal abuse. In recent years, hostile rhetoric has increased fear and insecurity for the trans community.
Now, in a safe and supportive home shared with other LGBTQI people, Zeynep can finally live openly and authentically while focusing on her asylum claim.
💜 By becoming a regular donor and joining our community of Micro Rainbow allies, you can help make this possible for Zeynep and others like her. Your ongoing support provides safe housing and holistic support to LGBTQI people fleeing asylum who urgently need it - link in bio!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #SafeHousing #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Trans #RefugeesTogether #ChangingLGBTQILives
Happy International Workers Day!
Many LGBTQI people seeking safety face significant challenges even after being granted refugee status in the UK, including poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. Barriers such as lack of UK work experience, unrecognised qualifications, and discrimination can make it difficult to rebuild stable and independent lives.
Through our Moving On programme, we support LGBTQI refugees at this critical stage by providing:
👉“Getting Started” support, including one-to-one guidance to register for Universal Credit, and open bank accounts
👉Tailored employability support over a period of 6 to 12 months
👉Workshops focused on CV writing, interview skills and more
💚 Are you an LGBTQI refugee looking for employability support or an organisation interested in partnering with Micro Rainbow? Email [email protected] to find out more!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms and stock images are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Gay #RefugeesTogether #Asylum #ChangingLGBTQILives #InternationalWorkersDay #employabilitysupport
Henry, a gay man from Iran, came to the UK in 2022 to seek asylum. Swipe to read his story of fleeing his home country and eventually finding safety and community in the UK.
When Henry arrived in London, isolated and carrying the trauma of his past, he started attending Micro Rainbow’s Body and Movement dance sessions for LGBTQI people seeking asylum. The sessions gave him a place to go, people to be around, and space to move on days that felt heavy.
International Dance Day, marked each year on 29 April, recognises dance as something that belongs to everyone, across cultures, languages, and borders. For Henry, it became a way to feel safer and less alone while rebuilding his life in the UK.
We are Micro Rainbow, a UK non-profit helping LGBTQI refugees and people seeking asylum with safe housing, social inclusion and employability support. Follow us and engage with our posts to spread the word and support our work!
Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of the people we work with.
#refugeestories #lgbt #asylum #dance #internationaldanceday
Today we're celebrating Amir, a gay man from Iran in our community, who has been granted refugee status in the UK!
In Iran, same-sex sexual activity is criminalised and can be punished with severe penalties, including imprisonment, corporal punishment and the death penalty. LGBTQI people face arrest, harassment, violence and widespread discrimination, forcing many to live in secrecy with no legal protection or safe way to be themselves.
For Amir, this meant living under constant threat simply for who he is.
Since arriving in the UK, Amir has found safety and a welcoming community through Micro Rainbow. This has allowed him to build friendships, access specialist support and begin healing. With his refugee status now secured, and support from our moving on team, Amir is rebuilding his life with confidence and hope for the future.
💜 Help more LGBTQI people like Amir find safety by becoming a Micro Rainbow ally - link in bio!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms and stock images are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Gay #RefugeesTogether #Asylum #ChangingLGBTQILives
Some lovely feedback from participants who joined our social inclusion sessions last month🧡
"Lots of love to Micro Rainbow, it's our home where we belong."
-Esther, a lesbian woman from Uganda, who attended our Sista Sista theatre workshop for LBTQI women seeking asylum
"This session - despite spending the whole day at home because of the weather - made me feel warm, and all the coldness I was feeling went away."
-Peter, a gay man from Malawi, who attended a guided meditation session
"I really enjoyed the session, it helped to relax my mind as I was not in a good mood at the start, but after the session, I felt relieved."
-Kunle, a gay man from Nigeria who attended a guided meditation session
"I'm looking forward to the next event to feel like I'm not alone."
-Nasrin, a lesbian woman from Bangladesh, who attended a Sista Sista theatre workshop for LBTQI women seeking asylum
Are you an LGBTQI refugee or person seeking asylum looking for a welcoming community? Email [email protected] to book your induction and find out how to start joining our events 🌈
Help keep these events going by clicking the link in our bio and becoming a Micro Rainbow ally!
🌈 Are you an LGBTQI asylum seeker? We’re here to support you with housing, social inclusion, and assistance in moving forward.
👉 Not an LGBTQI asylum seeker? Follow us to show our beneficiaries that, despite the rejection and persecution they’ve experienced from their families and communities back home, they are valued and welcomed here in the UK. 💜
👉 Want to make a difference? Become an ally and support our work. Learn more through the link in our bio!
Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of the individuals we work with.
#refugees #LGBTQI #RefugeesWelcome #Queer #Lesbian #RefugeesTogether #ChangingLGBTQILives #Community
